Why home cooked meals?

There are so many reasons to cook at home and yet, it is alarming to note that urban dwellers are not having much of it. Studies have revealed that having home-cooked meals as a family regularly leads to healthier and happier beings, especially the kids. A close knitted family through daily get together meals would also most likely to have grown up children who are less likely to abuse alcohol, drugs and smoking in their teenage years.

Having home-cooked meals on a regular basis also tend to be healthier as we naturally consume less sugar and processed foods as compared to outside food. Preservatives, MSG, sugar, salt are commonly found in most outside foods for various commercial reasons which usually result in lower energy levels and poor mental health. Having home-cooked meals five or more days a week is even associated with a longer lifespan.

Communal meals not only can make us feel happier but also brings along better mental health benefits in the long term. The reason being social interactions with others can help us to cultivate a sense of belonging and even reduce symptoms of depression. Home cooking also preserves cultural knowledge and history as we pass recipes from generation to generation.

However, where do we find the time for such communal eating for people living in urban cities such as Singapore? Work expectations from bosses and the stress we undertook on a daily basis are common excuses for people to seek the easy way out. Packing lunches and dinners are a common way of living amongst the population.